How to Smoke Chicken Leg Quarters

The low and slow process of smoking chicken thighs crisps the chicken skin, keeps the meat tender and juicy and infuses the meat with flavors. Adding your preferred seasonings to the chicken allows you to customize it to suit your tastes. The chicken will need to be monitored carefully while it cooks in the smoker to prevent it from overcooking, which can result in a tough and chewy texture.

Things You'll Need

Paper towels

Dry rub

Wood chips soaked in water

Aluminum foil

Meat thermometer

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Heat the smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit according to the manufacturer instructions.

Rinse the chicken leg quarters under cool water. Pat the leg quarters dry with paper towels. Season the chicken with a dry rub if you desire.

Fill the water pan in the smoker halfway full. Wrap a handful of your preferred soaked wood chips in aluminum foil. Poke three to four holes in the foil and add the wood chips to the smoker.

Place the chicken in the smoker. Smoke the chicken for 1 1/2 to 3 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg quarter reads 180 degrees F. The temperature of the meat will increase 5 degrees after being removed from the smoker.

Remove the chicken from the smoker. Allow it to rest for five to 10 minutes. Serve the poultry immediately.